reactive arthritis and tonsillectomy

tiggerbounce

I was diagnosed with reactive arthritis in 2011, in 2012 I came down with 3 bouts og tonsillitis, this caused the reactive arthritis to return, I was given a steroid injection to clear the arthritis. This year I have had tonsillitis 6 times within 6 months, I had a steroid after the 4 attack, the next 2 lots of tonsillitis have bought the arthritis back again. My specialist had recommended that I have them removed, I now need to convince my doctor and if he agrees the ent specialist. Has anyone had reactive arthritis flare ups due to tonsillitis and has anyone been down the route of getting their tonsils removed to cure it? Was it easy to get tje ent to agree?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I really dont know much about reactive arthritis and have just kinda been left to get on with it

Boomer13

Hello;

I had repeated bouts of tonsillitis but no reactive arthrits in my 20's (I'm now 47 with PsA). Then, I was always sick week after week. I had my tonsils out and was cured. The surgeon did not want to do the surgery but I pushed for it and was healthy until my late thirties.

It's painful but it was worth it to have relief. If your specialist has recommended it for your r. arthritis, I would go for it.

Best wishes, hopefully someone else with direct experience of reactive arthritis will reply.

Anna

stickywicket

Hello tiggerbounce. I'm sorry you're having all these problems with ReA and tonsils. Not many people on here have ReA as once it goes away so do they However, if you enter the words 'reactive arthritis' in the search engine above, quite a lot of stuff comes up including Arthritis Care's own leaflet on it.

My gut feeling is that it should be your rheumatologist pushing for the tonsillectomy, not you, and that he/she should do the referral not your GP but it's probably all about who pays. Most things are these days :roll:

tiggerbounce

My specialist can not do a referal, it has to go back to the doctors, they used to be able to but that stopped a few years ago. He is writing to my doctor strongly recommending that I have them removed, I have to go back and see him in 4 months to see how things are. X

salamander

Usually a gp will follow a recommendation from a rheumy, at least mine does. It's not so much a 'recommendation' but telling them it should be done.

tiggerbounce

I am just waiting to see how pushy he is in the letter, have already made my docs appointment, just hope the letter arrives in time. When I went to the doc with this last time she was really against having tonsils out but wanted the specialist to put me on tablets to stop the arthritis, glad my specialist disagreed with her

stickywicket

It might be worth asking the GP why she was against the tonsillectomy. It might also be a good idea to phone our helplines for information. I'm a firm believer in getting all the information I can before making decisions.

As for the letter/appointment - why not ring your surgery the day before your appt to check that the letter has arrived? If not, they'd have time to give that appt slot to someone else and you could re-book yours for a later date.

tiggerbounce

The doctor felt that the op may my solve the problem as I may still get throat infections but was under the impression that if the specialist agreed then that would be ok, I am going to see a different doctor, the one I have seen from the start so he really knows what I am going through. The specialist is sending a copy of the letter to me too but I made my appointment for 2 weeks after my appointment so the letter should of arrived by then x

stickywicket

[quote="tiggerbounce" The specialist is sending a copy of the letter to me too but I made my appointment for 2 weeks after my appointment so the letter should of arrived by then x[/quote]

Not necessarily but, if you're copied in, then at least you'll know.

I think it's a good idea to try to get rid of the source of the infections which are causing the ReA. There are no cast iron guarantees that you will then be rid of ReA for good but, speaking as a mere layperson with no 'proper' medical knowledge, it has to be more likely.

tiggerbounce

My specialist felt that it should cure the problem and does not see why it should come back x

dreamdaisy

Reactive arthritis is just that - it reacts to a trigger, usually an infection. Where it differs from the other kinds is that it can clear until the next bout of infection. Your current trigger appears to be the repeated bouts of tonsilitis so your GP should react to that by referring you. GPs know a little about a lot, it's the specialists who know a lot about a little.

I reckon that once arthritis is with you it's with you, I have two forms which entirely lack the good manners to clear up and leave me alone. Once your tonsils are out then that major trigger should be gone, then you need to keep yourself as healthy as possible to avoid any other bugs. Many of us on here are very conscientious with hand-hygeine etc as we take immuno-suppressant meds and we need to stay as bug-free as we can. Touch wood I haven't had a proper bug since April and I hope I can keep it that way.

I wish you well and fight your corner - your health is very much your concern and the docs should be willing to keep you as well as possible. DD

tiggerbounce

If am am refused a tonsillectomy then I will be going down the route of immune suppressant and I really dont want to. I am one of the lucky ones, I dont suffer too badly with it but it still affects my day to day life, like when I cant pick my daughter up to look at something coz my back hurts too much or when I dont have the energy to do stuff.

dreamdaisy

Arthtritis ignores our preferences. I cannot think of a single person on here who is utterly delighted to be swallowing and/or injecting but I think we all realise that what counts is the quality of life we can have now. I have just done a major burst of tidying up (we are moving soon) and Oh Boy! Do I know it! I remember when I last had energy, it was October 2001. No matter, my cocos are swallowed, my feet are up and it's nearly wine o'clock. DD

barbara12

Sorry I cant offer any advice , but I do hope it clears up very soon ..I know how awful it can make you feel.x

tiggerbounce

Thank you for you advice and support, its good to know I can talk to other people in a similar situation to me x

tiggerbounce

Yay, my specialist letter has arrived, shouldnt have a problem convincing the doctor to refer me now x

barbara12

Hi..good news that you have received your letter...you are now well prepared...good luck with your GP and stand your ground...(((()))xx

tiggerbounce

I dont think the gp will be a problem, its the ent specialist I will really have to stand my ground with x

Boomer13

That's great news. Good luck with the specialist ent, I hope he listens.

tiggerbounce

Gp has referred me, yay